Reclining chair of the multiple movement type



April 23, 1963 P. s. FLETCHER 3,036,815

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE MULTIPLE MOVEMENT TYPE Filed July 10, 1959 2.,Sheets-Sheet1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR. PETER \S. FLETCHER,

A ril 23, 1963 P. s. FLETCHER RECLINING CHAIR OF THE MULTIPLE MOVEMENT TYPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1959 INVENTOR. PETER. 5. FZETCHE/Q.

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United States Patent 3,086,815 RECLINING CHAIR OF THE MULTIPLE MOVENENT TYPE Peter S. Fletcher, Delray Beach, Fla, assignor to Anton Lorenz Filed July 10, 1959, Ser. No. 826,272 6 Claims. (5. 29785) The present invention relates to reclining chairs, and in particular to an improved reclining chair of the type including body-supporting means having a movable backrest and movable seat which are coordinated with each other to include at least two distinct phases of chair movement.

The well known reclining chair comprises a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat movably mounted on the support, and a leg-rest mounted beneath the seat and movable into various elevated legsupporting positions, with appropriate means coordinating the back-rest, seat and leg-rest for the requisite chair movement. Heretofore, there have been two distinct types of reclining chairs, those constructed with a rigid body-supporting unit including a unitary back-rest and seat mounted on the support for movement into various tilted positions and those constructed with a movable back-rest and movable seat mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively. Chairs of the type incorporating a rigid or unitary seat and backrest unit were found to be most suitable for accommodating the chair occupant in a tilted back position, but in a sitting attitude, with the occupants legs supported on the elevated leg-rest. Such chairs are particularly suitable for accommodating the chair occupant in an attitude appropriate for television viewing, reading, sewing and like activities. Chairs of the type incorporating a movable back-rest and movable seat are suitable for complete and full relaxation in that the angle between the back-rest and seat increases in response to reclining movement of the chair to comfortably accommodate the chair occupant in a stretched out or fully reclined attitude.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reclining chair which exhibits attributes of both types of chairs which have been heretofore sold, to wit, those suitable for accommodating the chair occupant in a tilted-back attitude and those suitable for accommodating the chair occupant in a fully reclined or complete relaxation attitude.

Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved reclining chair wherein in a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position, during which there is substantially no angular displacement between the back-rest and seat, the leg-rest is moved to an elevated leg-supporting position to establish the intermediate, tilted sitting position; and in a second movement phase from the intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position the angle between the seat and backrest opens up, with the leg-rest remaining elevated, to establish a complete relaxation or fully reclined attitude. Advantageously, with this type of chair the functional attributes of chairs having a rigid seat and back-rest and chairs having a movable seat and movable back-rest may be realized in a single construction, with the occupant being able to move first to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and then through successive complete relaxation positions to a fully reclined position.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, my reclining chair of the double movement type comprises a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for a second movement phase from the intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position. The mounting means includes a first linkage providing guide means for the body-supporting means during the first movement phase and a second linkage providing guiding means for the body-supporting means during the second movement phase. The first linkage includes front and rear guiding means having from and rear pivotal mounts on the support respectively. The second linkage includes the back-rest and seat as movable links thereof and means mounting the movable links of the second linkage on the front and rear guide moms of the first linkage serving as a stationary link for the second linkage. With this type of mounting arrangement, it is possible to obtain a small amount of movement of the movable links of the second linkage during the first movement phase from the sitting position to the intermediate, tilted sitting position. Such slight movement may be useful to compensate for the balancing characteristics of the chair or to produce a small amount of relative movement between the back-rest and the seat as may be required for more complete comfort.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, showing a reclining chair of the double movement type embodying features of the present invention, with the chair in the upright or sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the reclining chair in an intermediate, tilted sitting position, with the leg-rest moved to an elevated leg-supporting position; and,

FIG. 3 is aside elevationfl view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the reclining chair in a fully reclined position wherein the seat and back-crest have been angulanly displaced relative to each other to establish a complete relaxation position for the chair occupant, with the legrest disposed in an elevated leg-supporting position.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings there is shown a reclining chair demonstrating features of the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral it which includes a suppont or frame 12 having opposite side walls 14, 16 interconnected by suitable cross braces 18 and supported on depending legs 26.

Body-supporting means including a back-rest 22 and a seat 24 are movably mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively for a first movement phase from the sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2' and for a second movement phase from the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2 through a series of reclining positions to the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 3. Disposed beneath the forward end of the seat 24 is a leg-rest 26 which is mounted for movement from a stored or retracted position, as shown in FIG. l, to a first elevated leg-supporting position, as shown in FIG. 2 and to a further elevated leg-supporting position, as shown in FIG. 3. As will be described, the leg-rest 26 is coordinated to the movement oil the backrest 22 and the seat 24 for movement into the elevated leg supponting position in response to the first movement phase of the chair, with the leg-rest 26 remaining substantially in the elevated leg-supporting position as the chair moves from the intermediate, tilted sitting position shown in FIG. 2 to the fully reclined position shown in FIG. 3.

A mounting arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 28, provides respective first and second linkages for .guiding the back-rest 22 and the seat 24 during the first and second movement phases of the reclining chair. Specifically, the mounting arrangement includes a front guiding link 30 having a pivotal mount 32 adjacent its lower end on the support 12, a second or rear guiding link 34 having a pivotal mount 36 adjacent its lower end on the support 12 and a connecting or coordinating link 38 extending at a level below the upper ends of the guiding links 30, 34 and having respective pivotal connections 40, 42 at its ends to the front and rear guiding links 30, 34 respectively at points spaced below the upper ends of the links 30, 34. Links 30, 34 and 38 comprise a first linkage providing a guiding means for the backrest and seat between the sitting position of FIG. 1 and the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG. 3, with the portion of the support intermediate the pivotal mounts 32, 36 serving as a stationary link of the first linkage and with the front guiding link 30, the portion 015 the coordinating link 38 intermediate the pivotal connections 40, 42, and the rear guiding link 34 serving as movable links of the first linkage.

A stop 44 is positioned =forwardly of the front guiding link 48' of the linkage for the second movement phase to establish the initial position for this linkage, leaving the back-rest 22 free to move relative to the seat 24 during the first movement phase as will be described hereinafter. The rear cross brace 18 serves as a stop behind the rear guiding link 34 and is in position to be abutted by the link 34 to establish the end of the first movement phase and the intermediate, tilted sitting position as shown in FIG. 2. a

The mounting arrangement 28 further includes a second linkage providing guiding means tor the back-rest 22 and the seat 24 during movement between the intermediate, tilted sitting position and the various reclining positions, with the second or further linkage including a front guiding link48 having a pivotal mount 50on the upper end of the front guiding link 30 of the first linkage at a point spaced above the pivotal connection 40 and a pivotal connection 52 to'the seat 24 contiguous to the forward end thereof. The second linkage is completed by the mounting of the back-rest 22 on the upper end of the rear guiding link 34 at a back-rest pivot 58 at a point spaced above the pivotal connection 42 and the mounting of the seat 24 on the backrest via the hangar 60 at a seat pivot 64 spaced above and forwardly of the back-rest pivot 58. The second linkage includes a stationary link intermediate the pivotal mount 50 and the back-rest pivot 58 and movable links including the front guiding link 48, the portion of the seat 24 intermediate the pivotal connections 52, 64 and the portion of the back-rest 22 intermediate the pivotal connections 64, 58.

In this illustrative embodiment, the leg-rest 26 is mounted for movement into the several elevated legsupporting positions by a leg rest mounting and control linkage patricularly suited to achieve a relatively long extension of the leg-rest relative to the body-supporting means. Specifically, a double-arm mounting lever 66 is provided having a pivotal mount 68 intermediate its ends on the support, with the arm 66a thereof being coupled to the leg-rest 26 as be described. The arm 66b of the doublearm lever 66 is coupled to the seat by a connecting link 70 which has a pivotal connection 72 at its forward end to the upper end of the arm 66b and a pivotal connection 74 at its rearward end to a bracket 76 depending from and rigid with the seat 24. Forwardly of the double-arm lever 66 there is arranged a mounting arm 78 having a pivotal mount 80 adjacent its upper end on the support 12. The mounting arm 78 is coupled to the connection 82 at its rearward end to the lower end of the mounting arm 78 and a pivotal connection 84 at itsfiorward end to the leg-rest 26. The extensible leg-rest mounting linkage further includes a connecting link 86 which has a pivotal connection 88 at its rearward end to the arm 66a of the double-arm lever 66 and a pivotal connection 90 intermediate its ends and at a cross-over point to the mounting arm 78. A further mounting link 92 is provided which has a pivotal connection 94 at one end thereof to the forward end of the connecting link 86 and -a pivotal connection 96 at the other end thereof to an intermediate point of the connecting link 81, the mounting link 22 being coupled to the leg-rest 26 by a still further connecting link 98 having a pivotal connection 100 at its forward end to the leg-rest 26 at a point spaced from.

the pivotal connection 84 and a pivotal connection 102 at 7 its rearward end to an intermediate point of the mounting link 22. The previously described linkage will be recognized as being generally of the lazy-tongtype wherein upon movement of the pivot 88' toward the pivotal mount 89 in response to turning movement of the double arm lever 66, the intenpivoted links 7 8, 86 move with a scissor-like action to bring the pivots 82, 94 closer together, with a corresponding extension and elevation of the leg-rest 26.

For a better understanding of the operation oi the present double movement chair, a typical sequence of operations will nowbe described in detail:

When the chair occupant is heated in the chair 10 and leans against the back-rest 22 the front and rear guiding links 30, 34 of the first linkage turn about their respective pivotal mounts 32, 36 on the support. The inclination of the guiding links 3%, 34 of the first linkage is selected in relation to the inclination of the guiding link 48 and the guiding link provided 'by the portion. of the back-rest between pivots 64, 58 of the second linkage such that considerably less work is required to bring about the actuation of the first linkage until such time as the first linkage is blocked against fiurther movement. The front guiding 30 is inclined slightly forwardly from a vertical position such that a relatively small pressure against the back-rest 22 will cause the pivots 40 to move past a vertical position relative to the pivotal mount 32, with the balance being such that the first linkage thereafter moves into the limit position established by the stop 46, The front and rear guiding links of the second linkage have a substantial forward inclination such that there is a very pronounced tendency for the first and second linkages to operate in the desired sequence and in this sense the linkages are constrained. In some instances it may be desirable and/or necessary to incorporate a positive sequencing arrangement, for example as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,012,816 of December 12, 1961, which is assigned to the assignee herein. Incident to the movement of the first linkage, the body-supporting means moves to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2 with substantially no change in the angular relationship be tween the back-rest 22 and the seat 24 and simultaneously the leg-rest 26 swings forwardly about an instantaneous center which is above the top front edge of the seat as defined by the links 66, 78 due to the rearwardly directed pull imparted to the connecting link 70 incident to the rearward displacement of the seat 24. When the rear guiding link 34 arrives at the position illustrated in FIG. 2 in abutment with the stop 18, the front and rear guiding links 30, 34 become a stationary supporting link for the second movement phaselinlcage. I

Since in the second linkage the front guiding link 48 and the portion of the back-rest intermediate the pivots 64, 58 serving as. a rear guiding link are mounted respectively on the upper ends ot the front and rear guiding links 30', 34 of the first movement phase linkage, there can be a small amount of movement of the back-rest 22 relative to the seat 24 during the first movement phase.

During such relative movement, the front guiding link 48 of the second movement phase linkage is supported on the stop 44. This small relative movement attainable during athe first movement phase (which is shown by the partial broken line showing of the back-rest in the intermediate, tilted sitting position of FIG. 2 illustrating the position the back rest would otherwise occupy) may be employed to adjust the back-rest 22 relative to the seat 24 for a number of purposes. For example, the back-rest 22 may be too upright in the sitting position relative to the seat for use in the intermediate, tilted sitting position and it therefore may be desirable to somewhat open up the included angle between back-rest 22 and the seat 24 in the intermediate, tilted sitting position. Further, the back-rest 22 may be displaced relative to the seat 24 during the first movement phase to modify or improve the balance characteristics of the chair, it being recalled that the leg-rest 26 moves to an extended and elevated leg-supporting position during the first movement phase which alters the balance characteristics.

As the chair occupant exerts further pressure against the back-rest 22, the chair may be moved from the intermediate, tilted sitting position through a series of reclining positions wherein the angle between the seat and backrest opens up until the fully reclined positions of FIG. 3 is reached. During the movement into the fiully reclined position, the rearward displacement of the seat 24 causes a further rearward pull to be exerted via the connecting link 7% to the arm 66b of the mounting lever 66 Whereupon further elevating movement is imparted to the legrest, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 2 and 3.

The first and second linkages which are operative during the first and second phases of chair movement act like constrained linkages due to the sequencing characteristic attained by the disposition of the links and the weight of the chair occupant. This sequencing characteristic may be supplemented by the provision of a sequencing arrangement as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 601,885, now abandoned.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position during which there is no appreciable relative angular displacement between said backrest and seat and for a second movement phase from said intermediate tilted sitting position to a reclining position during which there is angular displacement between said back-rest and said seat, the mounting means including a first guiding linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate tilted sitting position and a second guiding linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said intermediate tilted sitting position and said reclining position, said first guiding linkage including said support as a stationary link, front guiding means pivotally mounted on said support, rear guiding means pivotally mounted on said support and a coordinating link pivotally connected to said front and rear guide means, said second guiding linkage including said front and rear guiding means serving as a stationary mount, movable links including said back-rest and seat, and means pivotally mounting said movable links on said stationary mount.

2. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position during which there is no appreciable relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat and for a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position during :which there is angular displacement between said back-rest and said seat, the mounting means including a first guiding linkage for guiding said bodysupporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate tilted sitting position and a second guiding linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said intermediate tilted sitting position and said reclining position, said first guiding linkage including said support as a stationary link, a front guiding link pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on said support, a rear guiding link pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on said support and a coordinating link pivotally connected to said front and rear guide links respectively at points spaced from the upper ends thereof, said second guiding linkage including said front and rear guiding link serving as a stationary support, movable links including said back-rest and seat, and means pivotally mounting said movable links on said upper ends of said front and rear guiding links.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position during which there is no appreciable relative angular displacement between said backrest and seat and for a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position during which there is angular displacement between said backrest and said seat, the mounting means including a first guiding linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate, tilted sitting position and a second guiding linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said reclining position, said first guiding linkage including said support .as a stationary link, a front guiding link pivotally mounted at its lower end on said support, a rear guiding link pivotally mounted at its lower end on said support and a coordinating link pivotally connected to said front and rear guiding links intermediate the ends thereof, said second guiding linkage including said front and rear guiding links serving as a stationary support, means pivot-ally mounting said back-rest on said rear guiding link at a back-rest pivot, means pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest rat a seat pivot spaced above sm'd back-rest pivot, the portion of said back-rest intermediate said seat and back-rest pivots serving as a rear guiding link of said second guiding link-age, and a further front guiding link pivotally mounted on said front guiding link of said first linkage and pivotally connected to said seat.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, means movably mounting bodysupporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position, the mounting means including a first linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate, tilted sitting position and a second lnkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said reclining position, said first linkage including front and rear guiding means having front and rear pivotal mounts on said support respectively, said second linkage including said backrest and seat as movable links thereof and means mounting said movable links on said front and rear guiding means of said first linkage serving as a stationary mount for said second linkage, and blocking means engaging said first linkage at the end of said first movement phase and as said body-supporting means moves into said intermediate, tilted sitting position.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, means movably mounting bodysupporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and for a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position, the mountng means including a first linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate, tilted sitting position anda second linkage for guiding said body-supporting means during movement between said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said reclining position, said first linkage including said support as a statonary link thereof and front and rear guiding means having front and rear pivotal mounts on said support respectively, said second linkage including said back-rest and seat as movable links thereof and means mounting said movable links on said front and rear guiding means of said first linkage serving as a stationary mount for said second linkage, a leg-rest, means mounting said legrest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and means operable during said first movement phase for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position, said leg-rest being disposed in an elevated leg-supporting position through said second movement phase.

movement respectively, and means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate, tilted sitting position during which there is no appre ciable relative angular displacement between said backrest and seat and for a second movement phase from said intermediate, tilted sitting position to a reclining position during which there is angular displacement between said back-rest and said seat, the mounting means including a first guiding linkage for guiding said body- 'supporting means during movement between said sitting position and said intermediate, tilted sitting position and a second guiding linkage for guiding said body-support ing means during movement between said intermediate, tilted sitting position and said reclining position, means on said support engaging said first guiding linkage in said intermediate, tilted sitting position for blocking movement of said first guiding linkage during said second movement phase, said first guiding linkage including said support as a stationary link, front guiding means pivotally mounted on said support, rear guiding means pivotally mounted on said support and a coordinating link pivotally connected to said front and rear guide means, said second guiding linkage including said front and rear guiding means serving as a stationary mount, movable links including said back-rest and seat, and means pivotally mounting said movable links on said stationary mount, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest for movement from a stored position to an elevated leg-supporting position, and means operable during said first movement phase for moving said leg-rest to said elevated leg-supporting position, said leg-rest being disposed in an elevated leg-supporting position throughout said second movement phase.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,497 Luckhardt Oct. 28, 1952 2,746,520 Ducrot May 22, 1956 2,880,785 Schliephacke Apr. 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 724,385 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1955 

1. A RECLINING CHAIR COMPRISING A SUPPORT, BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A BACK-REST AND SEAT ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR RECLINING AND INCLINING MOVEMENT RESPECTIVELY, AND MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING SAID BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT FOR A FIRST MOVEMENT PHASE FROM A SITTING POSITION TO AN INTERMEDIATE, TILTED SITTING POSITION DURING WHICH THERE IS NO APPRECIABLE RELATIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID BACKREST AND SEAT AND FOR A SECOND MOVEMENT PHASE FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE TILTED SITTING POSITION TO A RECLINING POSITION DURING WHICH THERE IS ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID BACK-REST AND SAID SEAT, THE MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST GUIDING LINKAGE FOR GUIDING SAID BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID SITTING POSITION AND SAID INTERMEDIATE TILTED POSITION AND A SECOND GUIDING LINKAGE FOR GUIDING SAID BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID INTERMEDIATE TILTED SITTING POSITION AND SAID RECLINING POSITION, SAID FIRST GUIDING LINKAGE INCLUDING SAID SUPPORT AS A STATIONARY LINK, FRONT GUIDING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, REAR GUIDING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND A COORDINATING LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FRONT AND REAR GUIDE MEANS, SAID SECOND GUIDING LINKAGE INCLUDING SAID FRONT AND REAR GUIDING MEANS SERVING AS A STATIONARY MOUNT, MOVABLE LINKS INCLUDING SAID BACK-REST AND SEAT, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID MOVABLE LINKS ON SAID STAIONARY MOUNT. 